Are 360 Cameras in my future workflow?

  I got really hot and then really cold for 360 cameras. After editing one of my best friends weddings shot in my absence with a GoPro Fusion 360 Video Cam, Im hot again on these novelty cameras again. Im a sucker for 3D, VR , Hi Res sports cams to record my fishing adventures.…

When a Camcorder beats a Gopro

Twenty years ago before GoPro cameras, in the day of standard Definition (ATSC 640 x 480) video, I taped everything with a DV camcorder. There was something very versatile about palming a big video camera that could zoom and pan on a monopod fast enough to keep up with comp soccer and lacrosse. I loved…

My Faith in government slightly restored today…

Jerry Brown vetoed legislation today that would have made flying drones lower than 350 feet above private property, a crime.   The bill authored by Sen Hannah-Beth Jackson  D-Santa Barbara is just another example of reactionary legislation that was created out of fear and mis information.  Besides the millions of model aircraft recreational flyers that…

Drones and Groans

Long Screws Screwed me The Vision 2 that I was preparing to sell lost 4 motors to my negligence when I accidently put some long screws into the short holes while  placing prop guards on the bird before selling it to a friend.  Its very easy to mess a motor up just by pushing on…

Unboxing the Phantom 3

I am still on the honeymoon phase with the Inspire 1 quad copter which is an engineering marvel.   The Klingon Bird of Prey Drone has the best camera and operating system of any drone to date.  Its a truly professional camera and it has been wonderful to shoot.  Just when you thought it couldn’t get…

A Macro lens for the Micro 4/3’d

Maco lenses come in handy in the micro world of fly fishing.  Mayflies are small;  Fly-tying materials  are small.  I recently acquired a newly released lens that is fun to shoot.  This new Olympus lens is their first MFT macro lens.  At 60mm, it has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 with a 20 percent angle…

The Lumix GH4 – A 4K for us Flyfishermen

There are lots of adjectives floating around the internet to describe the spectacular Panasonic Lumix GH4 but Ill bet mine unique. The Camera is fishable. It seems if I were to make a wishlist for a perfect video still camera that takes spectacular stills and video, is water resistant, small enough to fit comfortably in…

Building a Filter Holder for my Lumix 7-14

I did a blog post recently on acquiring a LUMIX G Vario 7-14 to replace the functionality of the Nikon 14-24. Honestly, I didn’t expect the quality of the Lumix that costs about roughly $1000 to hold up against a Nikon at roughly $2000 but I was surprised. My go to lens theses days is…

Time to Fly over Water…

Yet another rainy windy weekend at home with no fishing has not gone wasted.  I finally think I have an amphibious landing gear design for the Phantom Vision that fulfills all my requirements.   Instead of mounting the custom landing gear I scored from Shapeways thanks to “Simonsays”, on the fuselage,  I mounted them below…

Floaty Sky Cam part 2

Since I intend to use my newly acquired DJI Phantom 2 Vision over water to do fishing videos, Im getting paranoid about water landings. It seems that most people who use the Phantom in aquatic environments have strapped bottles, and foam to at least keep the thing floating in the event of a crash. Not…

SKY CAM Part one

I picked up a nice camera last month and its attached to 4 propellers and can fly 1000 feet and hover with the aid of GPS.  Here are the features of the DJI Phantom 2 Vision..  After looking at these drone cameras for over a year,  I finally feel like the bugs have been worked…

$250 GoPro digital two axis steadycam gimbal

To the bump up the quality of my video camera work for my fishing videos,  Ive been looking at steadycams for a long time.  Most of the gravity rigs were expensive and heavy.  They were not really practical to carry when traveling.  But since HQ video cameras are now the size of a GoPro or…

Nikon 14-24mm vs Lumix 7-14

  If I had seen a comparison of these two lenses a couple years ago, I would have laughed. It is indeed comparing apples to oranges but now that I am into the form factor, video wonderfulness, and practicality of Micro 4/3rds,  its time to take a close look at the Lumix 7-14mm f4.  The…

RODMOB Rocks

Last August, during the Labor Day Weekend, I had the opportunity to watch how a professional uses a GoPro to record fishing Reports. I just received a link to the finished video and it is very good. Scott Strain has mad editing skill. Check out this promotional video for the best outfitters on the Sac-Orland…